Container



E. R. STEIN June l2, 1934.

CONTAINER Filed sept. 26, 1932 lliti' Patented June j 12, 1934 UNITED STA TEs PATENT OFFICE Thisinvention relates generally to containers and more specifically to containers adapted for use in providing receptacles for a great variety oi merchandise, such, for instance, as cigarettes,

cigars, cereals, salt, etc., the predominant object of the invention being to provide an improved container which includes as a part thereof an automatically actuated closure element for the opening through which the merchandise is withdrawn from the container.

Figure l is a front elevation of the improved y container.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the container illustrated in Figure 1 showing same in an open position.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank which is folded to provide the inner slidably arranged element of thegcontainer.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the portion of said blank which provides the closure element in a folded and secured position.

Figure 6 illustrates a modied form of the invention.

Figure 7 illustrates a fragmentary perspective of the improved container.

In the drawing, wherein are shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, and referring for the moment to Figures l to 5 and Figure 'l of said drawing, A designates the improved container generally. The container A includes an outer housing l which is by preference substantially rectangular in cross section, said outer housing comprising side walls la and end walls lb and being open at 'the top and bottom as shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3. The outer housing l may be made of cardboard or any other material which is'suitable for the purpose.

arranged for sliding movement within the outer housing l of the improved container is an inner receptacle or container 2 which receives the merchandise enclosed within the container 'lille type of container illustrated in Figures the cigarettes or cigars contained within the container. y

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the draw ing wherein is illustrated the inner container 2 in its extended condition, 3 designates the main body portion of the inner container. Extended outwardly from opposededges of the main body portion and formed integral with said main body portion are extensions 4 and 5, the blank 60 from which the inner container is produced being provided with scored lines at the points where said extensions are joined to said body portion as designated by the reference characters 4: and 5'. The scored lines Ll' and 5 55 extend the entire lwidth of the body portion and extensions and provide lines on which the blank is folded. 'lhe extensions 4Vand 5 are provided also with vsimilar scored lines 6 and 7, respectively, these scored llines extending the entire width of the extensions and provide additional fold lines. Q

(Located at opposed side edges of the main body portion 3 of the blank which produces the inner container 2 are extensions 8 and 9. The extensions 8 and 9 are formed integral with the main body portion 3 and scored lines 8 and 9 are extended along the points where same are joined to the main body portion 3. Also for a portion of the length of the scored line 8' the blank is slit as indicated at 10 in Figures 4 and 5, and the extension 9 is provided With'a scored line 11 which is extended transve."ely of said extension. Extended outwardly from a side edge of the extension 4 is a tab portion 12 which is formed integral with said extension 4, a scored line 13 being present where the tab portion is joined to the extension 4. Also the blank is cut on a curved line as indicated at the point designated by the reference character 14, said curved line extending from an edge of the tab portion 12 to the inner end of thescored liney il of the extension 9. It will be noted that portions of the scored lines 4 and 6 already referred to extend across the portion l5 of the blank within the curved line of cut ll, these portions of said scored lines being designated by the reference characters la and 6B.

ln preparing the inner container 2 of my im. proved device for use the portion l5 of the blank is bent along the scored lines 9 and i3 to a position where it is extended at an approximate right angle with respect to the remainder of the blank. The portion l5 is then folded on the scored line 4E so as to cause the section 15b of said portion l5 to be extended at an approximate right angle to the section 15a thereof as shown in Figure 5. The section ldc is then folded on the scored line 6EL to a position where it is at an approximate right angle to the section Y lill l5b and is in spaced parallel relation with respect to the section 15, also as shown 'in Figure 5. The tab portion 12 is then folded on the scored line 13 to a position where it is extended at an approximate rightl angle with respect to the section 15c of the blank portion 15 and said tab portion is brought into contact with and is secured by adhesive or otherwise to the end portion 9n of the extension 9 which is located beyond the scored line 11 extended transversely of said extension.

The result of folding the blank portion 15 and securing the tab portion 12 thereof to the portion 9 of the extension 9 as described is that a closure element C is provided which is hingedly attached to the extension 9 at the scored line 11 thereof.

When the inner container is folded to the form in which it is used the extensions 8 and 9 are' so as tox folded on the scored lines 8 and 9 cause said extensions to be disposed at approximate angles to the body portion 3 of the blank. Also the extension 4 is folded on the scored line 4 and again on the scored line 6 to cause the portion 4a of said section to be extended at an approximate right angle with respect to the body portion 3 of the blank, and the remainder of said extension to be extended at an approximate right angle with respect to said portion 4*1 and in spaced parallel relation with respect to the main body portion 3 of the blank. In like manner the extension 5 is folded on the scored lines 5 and 7 to cause the portion aof said extension to be extended at an approximate right angle with respect to the main body portion of blank, and the remainder of said extension to be extended at an approximate right angle with respect to said portion 5a and in spaced parallel relation with respect to the body portion 3 of the blank.

In placing cigarettes or cigars in my improved receptacle the body of cigarettes or cigars are arranged in place and the blank which produces the inner container 2 is folded about said body of cigarettes or cigars as already explained. The action of folding the blank as described provides the inner container with an opening B which is located at a corner of the container and is shaped as shown in Figures 2 and '7, and the closure C is of such shape that it completely closes said opening when the closure is in a closed position. The folded inner container with the cigarettes located therein is then slid into the outer housing.

Associated with the closure element C is a flexible element 16 which is secured at one of its ends to the closure element and at its opposite end to the outer housing 1. The flexible element 16 may be in the form of a strip of material of substantial width, or it may be in the form of a suitable cord, or, if preferred a suitable rubber band may be employed for this purpose. By preference the flexible element is attached to the closure element by adhesive or otherwise at a point adjacent to,the corner C' thereof so that the point of attachment of the flexible element is removed a substantial distance from the hinge point of the closure element. Also preferably, though not necessarily, the flexible 'element is extended within the outer housing and is arranged adjacent to the inner face of the wall 1b of said outer'housing 1 and is attached at some point in the .length of said wall i" to said wall, preferably at the outside face of the lower portion of said'wall 1b.

reeaaes When in the use of my improved container it is desired t0 withdraw a cigarette or cigar therefrom, the user inserts a finger into the lower end of the outer housing and pushes the opposite end of the inner container beyond the adjacent end of the outer housing. When the inner containerhas moved a sufficient distance beyond the outer housing the exible element, being attached to the outer housing at one of its ends and to the closure element at its opposite end, will draw said closure element open as shown in Figures 2 and 7, thus exposing a part of the contents of the container for withdrawal. When the desired part of the contents has been withdrawn the inner container may be pushed back into the outer housing and this will cause the wall 15b of the closure element to contact with the adjacent edge of the wall 1b of the outer housing whereby the closure element will be moved to a closed position. `When the inner container is located entirely within the outer housing as shown in Figure 1 contact between the wall l5b of the closure element and the wall 1b of the outer housing will retain said closure element in its closed position.

In Figure 6 I illustrate a modified form of the invention in accordance with which the outer housing 20 is provided with a bottom wall 21 instead of being open at the bottom as in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 7. The inner container 22 in Figure 6 is slidingly arranged within the open, upper portion of the outer housing, this inner housing'being open at the bottom and being otherwise closed except for an opening 23 which is closed by a closureelement 24. The closure element 24 is provided with a hinge point 25, and ai flexible element 26 is associated with said closure element and with the outer housing in such manner that the closure element is drawn open when the upper portion of the inner container is moved beyond the outer housing 20. The inner container of the structure shown in Figure 6 differs from the inner container of the structure illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 7 in that the inner container of Figure 6 is a rigid built-up structureinstead of a folded structure. The container of Figure 6 is well adapted for use as a cereal container or for granular substances and preferably such contents are enclosed Within a paper package 27 to prevent leakage of the contents between the walls of the outer and inner containers. The package 27 is preferably secured to the top wall of the inner container so that it will move upwardly therewith.

By providing the extension 8 with the slit 10 the upper portion of said extension may be depressed when the inner container is extended beyond the outer housing so as to force the contents of the container toward the opening B when only a portion of the contents remains in the container.

I claim: i

1. A container of the class described comprising an outer housing, an inner container arranged for sliding movement with respect to said outer housing and having an opening through which the contents of the container may be withdrawn, said inner container comprising a structure having folded and unattached portions which embrace the contents of the container, a. closure element for said opening hingedly associated with said inner container, said closure element being comprised of portions of said inner container which are cut from and 159 displaced with respect to said inner container and folded and secured together to produce the closure element, and means attached to said closure element and to said outer housing for drawing said closure element to an open position with respect to said opening when said inner housing is slidably projected beyond said outer housing, said closure element being movable in contact with an edge of a wall of said outer housing when said inner container is moved inwardly with respect to said outer housing so as to move saidclosure element to al closed position relative to said opening.

2. A container of the class described compris ing an outer housing, ari inner container arranged for sliding movement with respect to said outer housing and having an opening through which the contents of the container may be withdrawn, a closure element for said opening hingedly associated with said inner container, said closure element being comprised of folded and secured portions of said inner container, which are displaced from their normal positions in the structure of the inner container to provide said closure element, and means attached to said closure element and to said outer housing for drawing said closure element to an open position with respect to said opening when said inner housing is slidably projected beyond said outer housing, said means being secured at one of its ends to said closure element and being extended through said outer housing and attached at its opposite end to the outer face ofsaid outer housing at the side thereof at which .the closure element is locatedl said closure element being movable in contact with an edge of a wall of said outer housing when said inner container is moved inwardly with respect to'said outer housing so as to move said closure element to a closed position relative to said opening.

3. A container of the class described comprising an outer housing, an inner container arranged for sliding movement with respect to said outer housing and having an opening through which the contents of the container may be withdrawn. said inner container comprising a blanlc capable of being disposed in a flat extended position and having portions adapted to be folded from such at extended position to l in the blank from which the inner container is produced to provide said closure element. and flexible means attached to saidv closure element and toy said outer housing for drawing said closure element to an open position with respect to said opening when said inner housing is slidably projected beyond said outer housing, said flexible means being secured at one of its ends to said closure elementl and .being extended through said outer housing and attached at its opposite end to the outer face of said outer housing at the side thereof at which the closure element is located said closure element being movable in contact with an edge of a wall of said outer housing when said inner container is moved inwardly with respect to said outer housing so as to move said closure element to a closed position relativev to said opening.

4. A container of the class described comprising an outer housing, an inner container arranged for sliding movement with respect to said outer housing and having an opening through which the contents of the container may bewithdrawn. said inner container comprisingi a blank capable of being disposed in a flat extended position and having portions adapted to be folded from such at extended position topositions where they embrace the contents of the container, aclosure element for said opening hingedly associated with said inner container, vsaid closure element being comprised o1' folded and secured portions of' said inner container which are displaced from their normal positions in the blank from which the inner container is produced to provide said closure element, and flexible means attached to said closure element and to said outer housing for drawing said closure element to an open position with `respect to said opening when said inner housing isvslidably projected beyond said outer housing, said exible means being secured at one of its ends to said closure element and being extended through said outer housing and attached at its opposite end to the outer face of said outer housing at the side thereof at which the closure element is located said closure element being movable in contact with an edge of a wall of said'outer housing when said inner container is moved-.inwardly with respect to said outer housing so as to move said closure element to a closed position relative to said opening. the

blank from which said inner container is produced having a slit formed therein to provide 

